This invention relates generally to a brace for supporting and steadying a firearm.
When shooting a firearm such as a rifle or a shotgun, the shooter ordinarily brings the butt of the rifle against his or her shoulder and then sights in on a target. The firearm typically includes at least one sight positioned on or near the barrel of the gun. In most instances, a sight is carried both at the tip of the barrel, adjacent the bore opening, and at the rearward end of the barrel. The process of aiming involves a simultaneous alignment of both the front and rear sights on the target. Additionally, a scope may be used having a set of cross-hairs, or reticle, for use in aiming the firearm.
In firing the firearm, it is important that the shooter maintain the firearm absolutely steady while maintaining the sight picture through the scope and/or sights. However, because of the weight of the firearm, the time necessary to develop the sight picture, tension, fear, etc., it is oftentimes difficult to hold the firearm steady for the length of time necessary to squeeze the trigger and fire.
Thus, it would be desirable to have means for assisting the shooter and steadying the rifle while preparing to fire. Devices have been patented which attempt to assist the shooter. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 46,365, issued to Kinman, a device for supporting the shooter's arm, the device being strapped around the user's body. U.S. Pat. No. 1,569,901, issued to Virdin, discloses a firearm attachment having a supplemental stock for engaging the shoulder opposite the shoulder against which the butt of the gun is placed. U.S. Pat. No. 2,441,487, issued to Howard, discloses a similar device for bracing the gun against the shoulder opposite to the shoulder on which the butt of the gun is placed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,209,481, issued to Gilbert, discloses a device on a gun stock for engaging the rear portion of the shooter's arm. U.S. Pat. No. 3,324,588, also issued to Gilbert, discloses use of a crooked member for engaging the rear portion of the user's arm, adjacent to the armpit.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,665,632, issued to Ford, discloses a firearm shoulder support for resting on the upper portion by the shooter's shoulder.
While the foregoing designs are known, there still exists a need for a low profile, easy to use brace for a gun.